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I have a BSA Buccaneer PCP rifle and realise that it causes no wear to the air mechanism leaving it cocked for an extended period; however, I am wondering if there could be excessive stress/wear on any springs in the trigger mechanism if left cocked for too long. Until getting this rifle, I was only used to break-barrels (both spring and inert gas piston models). Thanks.
 
I have a BSA Buccaneer PCP rifle and realise that it causes no wear to the air mechanism leaving it cocked for an extended period; however, I am wondering if there could be excessive stress/wear on any springs in the trigger mechanism if left cocked for too long. Until getting this rifle, I was only used to break-barrels (both spring and inert gas piston models). Thanks.
On any spring what "wears it" is use. If it was made correctly it will not matter if its kept under pressure. Some springs do fail from this but, if they do it means they were not made correctly.
 
I get the common belief that a spring doesn't "wear out" due to extended compression. It's the repeated cycles that actually causes "metal fatigue", however, fatigue and "stored strain energy" are different animals.

Under prolonged compression, the internal structure of a spring will tend to relax and some elastic force/strength will be lost. Obviously, small springs with small wire diameters with lower strength may be affected and fail to meet the strength required to perform the operation for which it was intended... even though the spring is not necessaily "fatigued" or likely to fail.

That said, I don't leave my PSP cocked.

Then again, I also don't leave my firearm mags loaded for extended periods either. I rotate loaded/unloaded at intervals to allow the springs to return to their full operating length to reduce elastic fatige (vs. metal fatigue).
 
I get the common belief that a spring doesn't "wear out" due to extended compression. It's the repeated cycles that actually causes "metal fatigue", however, fatigue and "stored strain energy" are different animals.

Under prolonged compression, the internal structure of a spring will tend to relax and some elastic force/strength will be lost. Obviously, small springs with small wire diameters with lower strength may be affected and fail to meet the strength required to perform the operation for which it was intended... even though the spring is not necessaily "fatigued" or likely to fail.

That said, I don't leave my PSP cocked.

Then again, I also don't leave my firearm mags loaded for extended periods either. I rotate loaded/unloaded at intervals to allow the springs to return to their full operating length to reduce elastic fatige (vs. metal fatigue).
I have some mags from WWII that have been loaded since the early 70's. When used they are all working fine. Springs can not be effected by being under pressure unless they were not treated correctly. If they were not done correctly they will wear out and fail from either use or being kept compressed. Any made correctly will outlive the owner.
The PCP that I have now will be a good test. Its been loaded since I bought it a year and half ago or so. Will see if it ever fails. Suspect it will be fine when I pass on unless something else on it fails.
 
I have some mags from WWII that have been loaded since the early 70's. When used they are all working fine. Springs can not be effected by being under pressure unless they were not treated correctly.
I get it. That's a very common argument repeatedly propogated throughout the internet that springs are never affected by prolonged compression. However, there is a big difference from a mag loosing "X" amount of elastic energy strength from the date of mfg while still retaining enough to reliably feed.. vs... a small spring of small guage wire and a much narrower operating strength envelope to function as intended.

Will mag springs still function and feed properly? Most typically, yes. Do they experience elastic strength over time? Yes! There have been a number of tests done to prove/disprove the common believe of zero affect to dispell the widely accepted belief that it does not.

IMHO, It's one of those things where, if enough people say it, long enough, it's taken as fact.. however... there's that pesky little thing called physics.

A very simple test... remove one of your early 70's mag springs from the mag. Place it next to a new spring. You wanna bet they are going to have the exact same fully relaxed expansion length? ;) .

.....But back to the OP.
 
I leave mags loaded for months and in some cases years. Also some of my pcp guns stay cocked for days at a time. I am not worried about either. To me There is much more upside to loaded and cocked than any potential downside.
 

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